When In The Dark
by MiaGhost
Summary: Sam and Dean have their bunch of friends over for drinks and Becky, in her ever-fervent quest to snag some action from the several people she has the hots for, suggests a Kissing Drinking Game. Sam knows he'll have to kiss all the boys. It's a terrible idea. But... is it? (Sabriel with brief mentions of Destiel.) (I'm getting the hang of One-Shots. My life is coming together!)


_**(A/N):** Hey Guys! I'm drowning in the Sabriel feels these days, it seems! This jumped into my head a few days ago while I was supposed to be focusing on my essays and not procrastinating. Besides the bare outline, I had to fight not to write it until my essays were in._  
 _Well good. They were in yesterday._  
 _Becky's determination to get some action from Sam totally backfires in the best way possible, and this happens._  
 _Happy Reading!_

* * *

~.~

Sam wrinkled his nose under the blindfold, starting to wonder whether those last two shots had been a good idea. He wasn't wasted, not yet, but he was definitely feeling the effect of their night of drinking. And his inhibitions? All but gone.

So the game, when suggested by an utterly drunken Becky, did not at first strike him as a terrible idea.

Of course a sober Sam would have seen it as exactly what it was; an excuse for her to get action from the several people in their gang she had the hots for.

Including Sam.

He'd had it lucky, having slipped away to the bathroom right when Becky's turn had arrived. Fun little coincidence, huh? And the best part?

His friends had held their tongues and nobody had told her. Benny in particular was less excited about that round than anyone else, it seemed, considering Becky had, behind her blindfold, assumed his height made him Sam and had gotten rather carried away. Sam owed him big. He'd be buying the guy's rounds for a month.

And Benny could _drink_.

The rules of the game were simple, in principle. Sort of a guessing game. No, exactly a guessing game. You were blindfolded. You had to close your eyes first so that you couldn't guess who was tying you up, and the blindfolder wasn't at a disadvantage for the rest of the round. The rest of the players had to line up, and the game began.

It was simple.

A kiss.

That's all. A kiss. Each member of the game stepped up, and gave you a kiss - a proper kiss, apparently a simple peck wasn't playing fair - and if you guessed who they were correctly, they took a shot. If you guessed wrong, they stepped back and a shot was added to your "tab", to drink when your turn was over.

But it didn't stop there. The one you got wrong was added back into the fray, and would then take another turn to kiss you. Guess wrong again, they keep joining the line - not necessarily at the end though, too easy, - and so on and so forth. If a player were left till last and you got it wrong for the final time, they got to choose a punishment.

And the catch? You absolutely _had_ to take part in each kiss, or you forfeited the whole round and had to take a drink for each player still unguessed.

Simple, right?

So far Becky had had her turn, pleasantly drunk from her forfeit after only getting two right on the first try, and Dean had taken his, getting them all right first go to the despair of their friends who then all had to take a shot. Nobody was really sure how Dean managed it, considering he'd only ever kissed Jo and Lisa before - much to Becky's never-ending dismay - but he'd called them all one by one and looked pretty pleased about himself for doing so. (Except for the kisses with Becky and Benny, both of whom had put on a show of being incredibly invested in it. Well, Becky probably really was. Benny just thought it was funny, and had even thrown in a moan for good measure.)

Of course, Sam had sat that round out, and the girls had argued that if the brothers had one less person to kiss then they should have to take a shot for that, and the Winchesters - and indeed the Novaks, for they were in the same boat - had acquiesced. So in the end, Dean had had to drink anyway.

Now it was Sam's turn, and it wasn't until the blindfold was tied and Dean stepped away - if he wasn't playing, then no disadvantage, right? - that Sam began to feel like maybe this whole game was a bad idea. When Becky had suggested it, most of the gang piled on with encouragement and enthusiasm, but now Sam was feeling a little doubtful.

Not to mention giving Becky full access to kiss him like she had been so obvious about wanting to for practically their whole acquaintanceship, it also meant that Sam had to lock lips with all his friends. Including the _male_ ones.

Sam wasn't gay. Or at least, he wasn't _out_ yet. And even then, he wasn't sure he was gay at all, seeing as how he'd only ever been interested in girls. (If you didn't count a secret three-date fling with his roommate at University, and though they'd parted friend wasn't _that_ an awkward piece of evidence to use when searching for an answer?)

Then of course there was the _sort_ _of_ attraction he felt for Gabriel, the feeling that wasn't really attraction as Sam had ever known it, but still made him feel weird and achy on long nights when he couldn't sleep. Gabriel was his best friend. Nobody but their friends would believe it if he said so, seeing as how they were complete opposites and disagreed on almost everything.

Where Sam was quiet and sensible and hard-working, Gabriel was boundless, a ball of exuberance and mischief and - when angered - utter and total focus until whoever or whatever he was mad at was destroyed. Dean often joked that Gabriel was just a little ball of fury, and Sam didn't think he was far wrong. However, whenever Gabriel found out Dean had said things like that, Sam's brother was in for the pranking of his life.

That was another big difference. Sam saw friends as people to care about and take care of, to share with. Gabriel saw friends as endless opportunities to prank and tease and drive them nuts. And yet still he had friends.

Sam believed in fairness and justice and the legal system, whereas Gabriel believed in payback, revenge and giving people their _Just Desserts_ , a phrase he particularly loved because of his sweet tooth. Another thing they never agreed on, seeing as how Sam wasn't really a fan of sweets and Gabriel would probably die without them.

So yeah, people wouldn't necessarily look at the two of them and say " _Hey, you know who'd be great friends?_ ". But they were, somehow.

Which was part of the reasoning in Sam's head right then, standing with a blindfold on in the living room of the apartment he and Dean shared, more than half-way drunk and beginning to realise he was going to have to kiss _Becky_. Because he'd also have to kiss all the boys but Dean, and that included Gabriel.

Now Sam was drunk. _Real_ drunk. Stupid, _try-to-do-cartwheels_ , _eat-fast-food-you-don't-even-like-at-4am_ , _everything's-freaking-hilarious_ drunk.

But not so far gone that he didn't have a little voice in his head reminding him of how a friendship could go south because of this. But then again, they were all friends, right? They'd all agreed to play. So what the hell, right?

Right?

Sam reached for the blindfold, to adjust the way it was cutting into his nose, - Dean's fault - only to be shouted down by the chorus of their friends.

"No way, sunshine."

"Hey, come on, don't think we can't see you trying to cheat."

"Uh uh, pretty boy."

Sam held his hands above his head and grinned through a laugh.

"Okay, okay, jeez."

He turned in the vague direction of where he guessed his brother was standing.

"Dean's tied it tight on purpose."

He heard Dean chuckle, and afterwards the muffled sound he knew well; Gabriel sniggering into his hand in an attempt to hide the sound. It always made Sam smile, that sound. Infectious as a rash and sometimes just as annoying.

"Well, if you're into that sort of thing…"

Sam snorted. Ruby, of course, liked to play devil of the group. With a front of dark humour and a disregard for the rules that surpassed even Gabriel's skewed moral code, she never let an opportunity to make a joke like that go by.

"Ha ha." he answered, pulling a face that made them all laugh.

He could heard glasses clinking in the room, murmurs from people trying to keep their voices down so that he didn't know where they were.

"Okay, so you know the rules. No peeking, no talking and no touching."

Sam would have rolled his eyes, were the others able to see them.

"Got it." he answered, pulling a face in Dean's direction, "Let's get it over with."

"Hey," came Gabriel's voice from somewhere in front of Sam, "I'll have you know there are people here you'll be _lucky_ locking tongues with. Maybe it's us who can't wait for it to be over."

Sam pulled a bitchface, trying to hide his own smile as he fought down a laugh. A round of laughter went up and Sam sighed the sigh of the long-suffering.

"Shut up, Gabriel. Or I'll bite your tongue when it's your turn."

The others laughed, Ruby's cackle bright atop them all. She probably thought it a great idea. Gabriel gave a chuckle of his own, his voice dipping into an overly sultry level.

"You promise?"

Sam couldn't stop the laugh that time, and the game was on. The rules were that everyone had to be quiet during, so as to not give away that they themselves weren't the player. It made the room feel oddly empty around Sam and he tried not to fidget with his hands, flushing with an awkward feeling.

He felt incredibly vulnerable right then, knowing any one of his friends could do anything and get away with it because he couldn't actually see them do it. He could only hope that Dean would keep them from doing anything too awful. Or maybe not Dean, but Castiel would ensure nothing too far went down.

He expected pranks though. Sam blindfolded and sitting waiting for his turn to guess? You could bet Gabriel was going to do something. Maybe sneak off and mess with his stuff. Maybe top up his beer with something stronger. Something though. The guy was incapable of restraining himself.

A hand touched Sam's shoulder and Sam jumped, making some of the others stifle laughter. The hand pressed down firmly and then another brushed his chin, fingers gently tipping his face before a mouth pressed softly against his. The scrape of stubble told him right away it wasn't any of the girls, and although the kiss was a _proper_ one, more than a simple press of lips on lips, the kisser was polite and kind of sweet. Sam knew who it was right away, possibly even from the touch on his shoulder to let him know someone was there.

"Who is it?" Dean called out, and Sam gave a friendly smile to the guy standing in front of him.

"Hey, Cas."

The guy squeezed his shoulder.

"Hey, Sam."

Sam grinned, triumph warm in his belly.

"You gotta take a shot, man." he said, as the others boo'ed from their line.

"Indeed I do." Cas hummed back, sounding rather pleased about that fact.

He seemed unfazed that Sam had guessed correctly, but Sam had been sure during Dean's turn that Castiel's eyes had looked a little disappointed when Dean got it right first go. It was Sam's secret suspicion that Castiel had wanted Dean to guess wrong so that he could get another go.

Then again, both denied there was anything between them, so maybe Sam was just a delusional romantic.

 _Not_.

The whole world could see the sexual tension in the ridiculously long looks Dean and Castiel shared. They need to just get _on_ with it, already.

"Next up." Dean said, and Sam could hear his brother take a swig from his beer bottle as he awaited the next player.

It was sudden and surprising as, without warning, a hand grasped the back of his neck and pulled him forwards into a kiss so fast he almost lost his balance. The mouth against his own was very different from Castiel's, pushy and kind of forceful, and the kisser even tried to slip him some tongue in the small few seconds each kiss was supposed to succeed by the rules. He was held still and the kiss was thorough, to say the least. When it was finished the kisser stepped back, leaving Sam's lips wet.

"Well?" Dean asked after a few seconds, sounding very much like he was holding in a laugh, "Who is it?"

Sam reached up to wipe at his mouth, trying hard not to pull a face as he felt his face heat up. This game was a terrible idea. When he breathed in, the subtle scent of cologne and Jack Daniels reached his nose, and the gentle burn on his chin told him the rest.

"I bet it was Benny, you asshole."

The deep-bellied laugh from the guy in front of him was bright and gleeful, and he clapped Sam on the back as he did so.

"How'd you guess?" he asked, patting Sam's back, "Just that good, huh?"

Everyone laughed, and Sam swatted playfully at Benny's arm.

"You put your tongue in my mouth, man. Gross."

Benny's laugh was rich, and Sam could hear Ruby laughing brightly too.

"Alright, settle down. Benny, you gotta drink man. Sam: 2, you guys: zilch. Next in line?"

Sam waited with a half-smile on his face. He felt less silly that time, now that he'd done it twice already, but he was still nervous. There was something about not being able to see that made him alert and jumpy. Maybe because his other senses were scrambling to compensate.

A hand took hold of his collar, making him jump a little but giving him time to acknowledge it before he was being drawn down again. The mouth that met his was hot and soft but sure, lips confident as they pressed against his own. The hand on his collar was firm, another hand reaching up to hold the back of his head, fingers slipping into his hair.

Sam had barely enough time to realise he should be kissing back before the kiss was over and the heat was gone. He took a breath, as much to steady his suddenly irregular heartbeat as to steal a whiff of the scents surrounding the kisser.

Familiar, obviously, the smell of whiskey and something sweeter giving him pretty much no clue. Vaguely floral, so the girls, but not distinct enough for him to place. Damn.

"Got a guess?" Dean asked after a couple seconds, and Sam flicked through his options.

All he could be sure of was that it wasn't a guy, and that it wasn't Charlie, because her choice in perfume and deodorants and all other scents were as familiar to Sam as his own considering how often she slept over, often sharing his room when there was someone else on the sofa.

But there had been a comfortable-ness there, so he was semi-sure...

"Uhh…" he said, wavering, "Jo?"

Someone boo'ed again as Jo gave a disbelieving sound.

"How'd you know?" she asked, sounding a little bugged at being beaten, right at the same time someone else called out that the Winchesters had to be spooky kiss-psychics or something.

Sam just grinned.

"No idea." he told her, "Just seemed like you."

"Huh." she hummed, moving away again, before he heard her call from somewhere near Dean, "Good though, right?"

Sam ignored the snickers going round as his face warmed.

"Uh, yeah, Jo. Uhm, it was good, yeah."

She made a pleased sound as the others took the piss, and Sam crossed his arms defensively.

"Shut up. Next?"

"Oooh, pushy." came Gabriel's voice, and Sam flipped him two fingers, much to his amusement.

Sam seemed to have the same knack his brother had, guessing Kate and Lisa on pure luck and then Chuck because of the apologetic, timid nature of their awkward kiss.

Becky had been obvious, one hand caressing his face to tug him down as her other hand slipped around his waist and dropped lower. She wasn't a half-bad kisser, but she was eager and over-zealous, which gave her away in a second. And her mouth was _really_ wet. Sam didn't even feel bad about how relieved he was when it was over.

This game was a _terrible_ idea.

When the next person stepped up, Sam felt their presence right as two hands grasped his face and tugged him into a searing kiss. The lips moved against his own with bold, sure movements, while still having a gentleness that Sam had to admit he kind of liked. He responded, having to stop himself from breaking the rule not to touch, because his first instinct was to reach out for the person's waist and draw them a little nearer.

The mouth tipped to one side and opened up the kiss, guiding Sam firmly. Maybe it was because he was drunk, but Sam was on the verge of forgetting that he was playing a game when his senses returned to him and he ended the kiss, parting lips from his counterpart right as Dean began to cough pointedly.

Someone, somewhere, gave a low whistle, but other than that the room was silent. Sam tried to hide the fact that the low sides of his cheeks were burning, doing his best to swallow his suddenly shallow breaths as he felt the air of the other person warm on his neck. When the hands left his face he straightened up, fiercely sure that everyone could see how distracted he had been.

"Well?" Castiel's voice surprised Sam, and he swung his head in the direction of where his brother should be.

"Got a guess?" Dean asked, and Sam opened his mouth, only to pause and close it again.

He could smell the other person, who still stood close, waiting on Sam's verdict. The scent of alcohol and something sweet, potentially from the cocktails they'd all been mixing earlier, filled his nose. He was almost sure it had been a guy, trying not to think about how that could affect his not-gay status and instead to focus on the vaguely familiar smell under the alcohol. All it told him for sure was that he knew the person, and that was obvious due to the fact that everyone in the room was his friend.

But still Sam had a guess, unable to decide whether it was wishful thinking because the kiss had been _good_. Like, really good. Demanding and confident, they knew what they wanted and Sam had really kind of liked being _it_ , even if just for a few seconds. His cheeks still tingled from the warmth of their hands.

"So?" came Dean's voice, laced with an amusement that gave Sam a hint as to the gender of the kisser, "Got a guess, Sammy?"

Sam opened his mouth, made up his mind, and said the first other name to come to mind.

"Jo?"

Everyone laughed, and someone was clapping their hands.

"You already guessed me!" Jo cried from somewhere near the table holding all the bottles, "Was my kiss that forgettable?"

Sam didn't have to try to look embarrassed, sure it was splashed all over his face anyway. He was gonna get caught out, at this rate. He pulled an uncomfortable smile.

"Sorry, Jo. Had a lot to drink. Do I get another guess?"

His audience were calling out no, and soon a chant of " _Take a Shot!_ " was filling the room. Sam winced.

A triumphant cheer went up, and Dean laughed, calling out for quiet.

"I'll give you another guess, Sammy. Just for fun."

Unhappy noises and laughter went round, someone calling favouritism, and Sam beamed, before wincing and taking another guess.

"Is it Kevin?"

Another cheer went up.

"Oh so wrong, Sam! That's another shot for you!"

Sam felt the presence of the person leave his personal space and heard the vague, shoe-less steps of someone on the carpet before a hand shot up and gripped his collar, tugging him down to meet the next mouth.

The kiss was hot and fast and tugged him along for the ride, heated and almost forceful. A hand slid around his back and pressed into the small of it, the other reaching up for his hair and tangling in it, kissing almost fiercely. Sam responded, kissing back but never gaining ground, every time he moved to match the movement of the other person, their lips were already changing, demanding.

It wasn't a bad kiss. In fact it had been rather hungry, with definite chemistry, but part of Sam was uncomfortable with it, like he'd been part of it but not a full partner. Sort of like when kissing Becky. He'd been involved in the kiss, but it was more like he were _being_ kissed than they were _kissing_.

When Dean asked, Sam's guess came easily.

"Ruby, right?"

"The one and only." she answered silkily, before giving Sam's cheek a playful pat with the palm of her hand, "Thanks for the thrill, big boy."

Sam pulled a face as he felt her walk away, sticking his tongue out for good measure.

Dean hadn't even asked for the next person before there was another hand fisted in Sam's shirt and he was yanked down again. _Man_ this game was repetitive.

Except this time when Sam expected a mouth to cover his own there was heartbeat's hesitation before lips met his. This time it was warm, confident and expectant as Sam's mouth began to move to meet each open, each close. Sam found his breath catching, undeniable chemistry streaking through him as the kisser tipped their head to one side and opened the kiss to something deeper, something surprisingly sweet.

That same confidence from before, each movement sure and - or was it his imagination? - begging him to match it.

Sam caught his hand as it reached for the other person, stopping himself at the last minute. Someone somewhere was calling out a warning at him but the voice was vague as Sam did something he didn't expect. He fell into the kiss. The same feeling from before washed over him as the kiss turned heated, as each press of lips became more commanding, more pushy and yet-

Yet Sam didn't find himself drawing away like he had with Ruby's kiss. His lips chased the other's instead of being dragged along.

Sam was sure the kiss had gone on a lot longer than it was meant to, suddenly becoming aware of whispers, stifled laughter.

"Alright, alright- Hey-" came Dean's voice, coloured faintly with something that could have been irritation, "No extra time for guessing, Sam!"

Sam tore his mouth away, hoping the hitched gasp was really as quiet as it sounded to him, that the others hadn't heard it. This time the other person was breathing shallow too, the heat hitting his neck and making him shiver. It took him a second to find the will to straighten up, something lazy inside of him wanting to continue kissing, encouraged largely by the alcohol in his system.

He licked his lips dry, realising that the mouth he'd been kissing had tasted heavily of fruit, a definite cocktail, the trace of syrup lacing his tongue. How had he not noticed while kissing?

"Sam? Can you guess?"

He was sure. He was _certain_ , his heart racing fierce and furious in his chest. He opened his mouth as drew in a breath, that same familiar smell again, he _knew_ it was him.

"Is it Kevin _this_ time?"

Dean groaned, and his friends broke out in squeals and snorted laughter and somewhere Becky was grumbling too low for him to hear.

"Two kisses and you still get it wrong? _Dude_." Dean said, and Sam wasn't surprised.

He gave a grin, hoping it looked embarrassed enough. He was sure it was, the feeling was coursing through him now, his skin aflame as though the room were a hundred degrees.

The next kiss Sam got was hesitant and sort of shy and reminded him of Chuck without the awkward. It was pleasant, the movements simple to match and accommodating of him too. But there wasn't the same strange feeling from the last one, there was something…

Sam's brain said _missing_ , and he couldn't find a better word. When they drew away and Dean asked, Sam knew he had to make it look proper this time.

A funny twist in his stomach felt like guilt at the ploy, but he swallowed and ignored it, giving the room a weak smile.

"That time it was Kevin."

Applause went up, Benny calling out his suspicion that Sam was obsessed with Kevin. The laughter went on for a moment, people greeting Kevin with taunts as he rejoined them. Glasses clinked again and made Sam wish his round was over.

"Okay, numbers are dwindling again." Dean taunted, and Sam threw him a bitchface.

Sam sensed someone reach his vicinity again, two hands clasping his in front of him, fingers pressing into his palms as they pushed up onto their toes and kissed him.

Sam knew instantly it was her. Partly because he'd kissed her before, but her soft and comfortable approach tipped him off too.

Charlie's mouth was sweet with the raspberry and mint from her Daiquiri, her lips soft and pleasant against his own as she kissed him with comfortable presses and confident brushes. They didn't kiss for as long as the he had when carried away, but longer than most of the others. Sam enjoyed kissing Charlie, in a strangely platonic and hard-to-explain way.

Probably had something to do with the fact that she was sort of like the pseudo little sister he'd never had. The fact that she was gay was also part of it.

When she drew away she squeezed his hands and dropped down from her toes, and he didn't need to look to know she was giving him a smile.

"Hiya, Charlie." he said, before Dean had even asked.

"Hey Sam." She let go of his hands then, moving away across the carpet as someone Sam was sure was Ruby gave a suggestive _ooooohhhh_ , "Guess I'm up a drink."

Sam chuckled.

"Game over?" he asked lightly, turning his face in Dean's direction.

Someone was moving close to him again, and Sam actually felt anticipation thrum softly through his veins, his heart picking up again. He was already starting to sort of regret his actions, even though he'd enjoyed the outcome. Enabling his own stupidity was going to cause him some trouble, he could already tell.

When this game was over, he was going to be totally fucked, and it was his own damn fault.

"Nope," Dean answered, sounding amused. Sam could almost _see_ the expression on Gabriel's face, trying hard not to let on that he was baiting the guy, "One more. Get it wrong, and you're in trouble. Like, for real, dude."

He totally would be. Gabriel in charge of his punishment? Only an idiot would walk into that willingly.

Sam Winchester took a breath and then frowned, crafting what was hopefully a bemused expression onto his own face. Probably not difficult considering he was full of alcohol. He cocked his head, pretending he couldn't sense there was someone standing right in front of him.

"What? Who's left?"

More laughter, low and gleeful from his friends. Maybe it was Sam's imagination, but he was almost sure he heard a small, stifled, indignant hum from right before him. Fighting his smile was like holding back the devil. Keeping his breathing even was taking too much concentration from him.

"One more, Sam." Dean answered, and that time his voice was definitely amused.

Sam could imagine the glare Gabriel was shooting him.

"Okay…" Sam dragged the word out, pretending to think. "Well I-"

He was cut off by the hand on his chest, fingers curling in the material of his shirt, another hand reaching and meeting the back of his neck. A shiver ran through Sam as he was dragged down once again to meet that touch of lips against his own. There was something different this time, something faintly powerful and restrained, like he was trying to hold himself in check. Sam kissed back, moving closer, meeting the tip of his head with a deeper touch, almost whining when the hand on his neck slid into his hair and tugged him closer.

Sam got carried away that time, pressing harder to provoke the confidence he'd liked so much before, opening his mouth and flicking his tongue across the bottom lip of his partner. What he got in return was a swift retaliation, a nip on his own bottom lip that tore a surprised hitch from his breath. Sam barely held back his arms, aching to gather up the man kissing him and bury his own hand in his hair. A thumb rubbed sweetly over his neck even as the kiss turned heated, commanding and demanding as Sam matched him.

The room was disappearing, Sam dying to give in and tear off his blindfold, knowing as he had from that first kiss that is was _him_.

Dean cleared his throat loudly, making Sam aware of the rash of tittering and calls, the room suddenly loud and full of laughter and cat-calling. Someone whistled, low and long and clear, filled to the brim with implication. Sam could _feel_ everyone watching.

Sam tore his mouth away, missing the heat as soon as his lips hit air. He made to straighten up and draw away, already dreading the outcome of his actions, what he was going to have to suffer. He should have known better.

Why had he let himself enjoy it? It was going to make everything so awful. God, he hoped he died from his hangover tomorrow. Dealing with this was going to be hell.

But the hand in his hair drew him down again for one swift, soft kiss, and Sam knew there was no hope for him then.

He was utterly lost to the want in his chest, the ache.

Then the hands were gone, the presence in front of him moving, leaving, the air around him cooling without the heat of someone there. Someone said something in a low voice far in front of Sam, and he could have sworn that the low whisper that answered was Gabriel.

He heard the door open, the bottom brushing across the carpet.

"Uh." said Dean, "Well. Who was it, Sam? Or are you up for a forfeit?"

Sam hesitated, opening his mouth, but then his mind set and his confidence surged inside him. He reached up for the blindfold and tugged it up, squinting in the sudden brightness, looking across the faces of his friends.

 _No Gabriel._

He ignored the whoops and cries for forfeit, the faux disappointment and the laughter. He ignored Dean calling his name out in mock despair and frustration, like he couldn't believe Sam was throwing away the chance to win his round. But suddenly the game felt so very unimportant to Sam as he dropped the blindfold and strode across the room, slipping through Becky's fingers when she reached for his arm from her perch on the arm of a chair.

In the hall Sam turned left, heading for his first guess at where Gabriel would hide out. He would try the bathroom for anybody else, first thing to pop into his head. But Gabriel would hide in Sam's room if he wanted left alone, and Sam was sure that's what had happened.

Somehow he knew Gabriel hadn't left to go to the toilet, however much he'd been drinking.

Sam pushed open the door of his bedroom and caught sight of him, sitting on the end of Sam's bed with his face buried in his hands, his elbows atop his knees. On a sudden whim, Sam pushed the door closed behind him. Gabriel must have heard the sound but didn't move. Sam made his way over slowly, sitting down beside his best friend and looking down at his own shoes.

He shouldn't have had so much to drink.

He should have just guessed right the first time.

"Did you win?" came his voice, and Sam was suddenly fighting the need to reach out for him and draw him close.

Instead he hummed and cleared his throat, speaking to his shoes.

"I knew who it was."

Gabriel nodded, his face hidden from Sam.

"Oh."

Sam smiled gently, looking at the way Gabriel's hair sat in familiar waves, the way the ends curled around his neck as though in an attempt to join the rest of his features in creating the sweetest image. Sam had sometimes - not all that often, mind, because Gabriel was bucket of mischief wrapped in a ball of crazy - seen Gabriel in a certain light, sat a certain way or in a certain gentleness of mood and thought him worthy of his namesake. Gabriel Novak was mischief and trickery and scheming, but sometimes Sam thought he was almost Angelic, and right then was a moment like that.

"Although technically I didn't say it out loud, so… I guess that means I forfeit." His eyes drifted over the sweep of Gabriel's forehead, glanced off the edge of his mouth, all that Sam could see of his face, "I guess you get to pick my punishment."

Gabriel's face turned a little to look at him, and Sam smiled at him. When Gabriel met his eyes, Sam gave a chuckle.

"I'm nervous already." he said, and he was.

Gabriel's mouth moved, a smirk Sam knew well creeping across his lips. It was so comfortable and familiar that Sam found himself confessing before he even knew he would.

"I knew it was you."

Gabriel's eyes were wide as he jumped, looking at Sam warily.

"It's why you're through here, right? I mean, if I'd just said it was you then you wouldn't have had to- I mean… I'm sorry. I- I don't know why I did it."

Gabriel looked at him for a long, long moment, long enough for Sam to begin fidgeting, feeling vastly uncomfortable and wishing he'd kept his mouth shut.

"You knew." Gabriel repeated flatly.

Sam nodded.

"From when?"

Sam looked away, down at his hands. He swallowed around the wish in his throat that they could be kissing again, fighting the urge to run away, back to their friends.

"The first time. You kissed me three times, right?"

Gabriel was looking at him but Sam couldn't meet his eyes.

"You knew then."

"Yeah."

"Then why didn't you guess right?"

"Because I- I… I don't know, Gabe."

"I thought Dean should have guessed wrong for Cas." Gabriel said suddenly, his body language relaxing, his voice lightening.

Sam looked at him in surprise, wondering where he was going with that train of thought.

"What? Why?"

Gabriel shrugged, looked at the wall across from Sam's bed.

"If he'd gotten it wrong, Castiel would have gotten to kiss him again."

Sam knew then that Gabriel knew. He didn't know how the other man had worked him out, but Gabriel knew.

"I don't think Dean thought of it. He… He saw the game as a game. Not… Not like that."

Gabriel sighed and looked down at his feet where they hung over the end of the bed. Sam watched him, feeling everything at the same time, writhing, aching.

"And you, Sammy? How did you see it?"

Sam looked at him and swallowed his fear.

"An opportunity."

"For what?"

"For me." he said, willing himself to keep his voice level even though his heart was racing and breathing was hard, "To kiss you."

This time when Gabriel drew Sam close with a hand on his collar, Sam didn't stop himself from reaching too.

Their mouths met and Sam ceased thinking. It was everything again, confident and compelling with every press, every wet movement of Gabriel's lips like he knew what Sam wanted. Sam gave everything to it, to him, one hand curling in Gabriel's hair as the other pressed into his back, drawing him close despite the awkward angle from where they sat.

It quickly grew heated, Gabriel's mouth pushing hard against Sam's, tearing a sound from him that he'd never admit to making. He moved his head just as Gabriel tipped his, the kiss deepening. Sam's tongue licked at Gabriel's lips, asking for entrance. When Gabriel bit him softly in return, Sam couldn't hide his smile.

Gabriel's hands were warm on Sam's neck, heating his skin and holding him close. Sam brushed a thumb over Gabriel's ear, tugging his even closer as though he could step further into the kiss. His mouth was hot and full of the taste of Gabriel, of sugar and fruit and syrup, vodka and something cherry, everything overwhelmingly sweet and yet utterly wondrous.

Sam had no understanding of time as they kissed, and indeed it wasn't until their mouths tore apart that it even occurred to him that they were sitting in his room locking lips during a party because for some reason whenever Gabriel's lips met his, Sam was powerless for anything else.

Their eyes met, their foreheads resting against each other as they caught their breath in short, sharp pants. Sam was feeling everything, a whirlwind of bemusement and exhilaration and a touch of fear, nervous excitement and a crazy, insistent urge to just stay there in that moment and kiss Gabriel forever.

Gabriel's eyes were the same as they always were and yet so different, so wondrous. Sam looked into their golden-hazel depths and grinned, the sides of their noses brushing. He loved those eyes, he realised. _Loved_ them. So expressive and captivating, they were such a beautiful representation of Gabriel himself. Even the colour was complex.

"So…" Sam started, flushing with awkward nerves when Gabriel only grinned wickedly.

"Are you _nervous_ , Samsquatch?"

Sam rolled his eyes and shot him a weak glare, his face burning.

"Shut up, Gabriel."

Gabriel only continued to grin.

"Or what, you'll bite my tongue?"

Sam gave him a shove and groaned to hide his laugh.

"You're the worst."

Gabriel's eyes twinkled.

"But you love me anyway."

Sam rolled his eyes and stood up, turning away to hide the truth he knew his drunkenness would prevent him from hiding. He reached the door, turning back to pull an expectant face, tip his head towards the hall as he opened it.

"You coming?"

Gabriel only looked at him with those same, clever eyes, and one half of his mouth curled into a more gentle smile.

"You totally do." he said, his voice teasing and sure and - God help him - sweet, "That's the whole reason you wouldn't guess, right? Because you're in love with me?"

Sam frowned down at his shoes, trying to build himself an irritated expression and laugh to cover it up.

"I'm going." he said, looking anywhere but at Gabriel when he looked back up. "You coming?"

Gabriel stood up, making his way over in bounding steps. Sam barely had enough time to react before Gabriel was pouncing up on his toes to press his mouth to Sam's in a decidedly gentle, aching little kiss. It was soft and sweet and everything romantic that Sam's brain could come up with, urging him gently as kissed back, one hand winding around Gabriel's waist and the other letting go of the door, reaching out for Gabriel's face.

It was the kind of kiss that Sam knew Dean would take the piss out of him for. It was the kind of kiss Sam knew _Gabriel_ and most of the others would take the piss out of him for.

It was subtle and sensitive and _vulnerable_ and made Sam's heart ache.

When Gabriel drew away, his lips coming back for a soft peck afterwards, Sam was weak all over and wishing there was something he could do right then to just stay in that moment for a little while longer.

Gabriel opened his eyes and flicked them up to meet Sam's, and in their depths was a secretive sort of weakness Sam rarely saw. Before he could do or say anything, Gabriel's mouth had moved into a lopsided sort of smile and his voice a gentle murmur.

"That's alright, Samoose. I'm a little in love with you myself."

So if Sam beamed a little as he reached out to muss Gabriel's hair right then, and if he was grinning still when they joined the others and assured them they were still friends - pointedly brushing off Ruby's implications - then who really could blame him?

The game was continuing, the pair catching the tail end Benny's turn. - And thank goodness for that, because Sam didn't fancy kissing _him_ again. -

Gabriel was up next, everybody watching him and Sam closely as though looking for something secret between them and they only shared their own small grins because they knew something totally was. Gabriel was blindfolded, Castiel tying it comfortably but no doubt tightly enough for it to work.

Sam was third in line, behind Chuck and Benny, and they all knew what Benny was like, didn't they? So if, when Sam's turn finally came and Benny was walking away as the others cheered for Gabriel's correct guess, he was feeling a little unsettled at watching other people kiss _Gabriel_ , then could he really be blamed?

"Next?" Gabriel called, sounding less confident than he had before now that he'd experienced Benny's attentions.

Sam stepped up, and then he did something he had not been planning on doing.

It was the little tilt of Gabriel's head that did him in, the tiny movement as the shorter guy sensed someone was there. There was a distinct messiness to his hair now that Benny had been there, and Sam tucked a stray flick behind his ear admittedly tenderly, making Gabriel jump just a little before the edge of his mouth slid up in a faint smile. He tipped his head a little, his face turned towards Sam even if he couldn't see him.

"Hey, Sam." he murmured, and Sam was decided then.

"Hey, Gabe." he answered, before one arm curved around Gabriel's waist and drew him in.

Already the room around them was fading, even if Sam wasn't blindfolded, Dean's voice saying something about cheating as Sam ignored him, looking down at the blindfolded face of the guy he was stupidly and undeniably in love with. Gabriel's smile was in full force now, coiling tauntingly at the edges and urging Sam down into a kiss.

So maybe their kiss was longer than necessary and maybe Sam did keep his promise and nip at Gabriel's tongue and maybe, okay, Gabriel levered himself up with two hands on Sam's shoulders, hooking one in Sam's hair and the other low on his neck and maybe, yeah, the room around them was filled with mock-outrage at Gabriel - predictably - breaking the no-touch rule.

And maybe, okay, when they were both disqualified and sent to sit in the corner, neither of them cared worth a damn that their friends were wolf-whistling and taunting them. And maybe they'd utterly given themselves away by continuing their kissing in their rule-breakers corner of the sofa.

But Sam didn't mind, because all he knew for sure besides the fact he loved Gabriel was that maybe the game wasn't such a terrible idea after all.

~.~


End file.
